This is pretty much of an outdated notion, sure, but after sitting through Monday night's/this morning's NBA playoff affair between San Antonio and Dallas, I am convinced that the Spurs were victimized by a classic "home job" by the game's officials.

Late fouls, in regulation, against Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen -- each of which aided Dallas and/or hurt San Antonio (Ginobili, in the midst of a brilliant performance, did foul out) -- more or less decided the contest, which was otherwise your basic near-classic.

Come on, boys. These are the NBA playoffs where men are men and the weak are pointed to the badminton court. And yet, there were all those ticky-tack fouls blown against the Spurs . . . and there were all those free throws being drained by the Mavericks . . . and there was Dallas assuming a three-games-to-one lead in this so-far majestic best-of-seven series.

In the end, of course, none of this would have much mattered if Duncan, the celebrated "Big Fundamental," had buried that little eight-foot floater at the buzzer, which would have won the game for the Spurs in regulation. But still, this thing smacked of the NBA's bad ol' days when postseason road wins were as scarce as cummerbands at nudist colonies.

Oh, well. The Spurs and the Mavericks are pushing onto San Antonio for Game No. 5, and I'll be tuning in again -- hopefully to watch players play rather than to listen to whistles blow.